They had enough medalling entries in the first round and second. There's a club , self-organized by the listener base that is a properly registered club with the AHA.

The advent of online clubs back a few years ago led to a rule that limits the number of points an organization can accrue from all regions to the maximum they could from a single region. (e.g. the points for 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze). Then the second round works as it always does.

This is probably as good a place as any to ask this... What's the consensus on this forum? Is it fair for the Brewing Network to have it's own club (to compete for medals)? I've tried to see if similar arguments are going around, as I believe that this is the second year in a row they've won. I don't care about them being a virtual club, or anything like that, I just think that the BN radio show gives them a huge platform to gather members. I know they're a properly registered club... but that doesn't require much effort, does it? My club got registered pretty easily, if I remember correctly.Just trying to see what others think...

Yes, being a virtual club and having the radio show gives them a huge platform for gathering members. On the other hand, if you had a club of 40 members who all entered beers you'd have a pretty good shot of winning club of the year too. It helps a lot if they make good beer of course, something they could learn to do by listening to the BN shows . . .

I don't know what other people think, but I'm happy for the guys in the BN club.

Weak. Silence with some boos? I like JP, but that's BS. I was there both times and there was a lot of cheering. If he didn't feel like there was enough cheering that's one thing, but he's making it out to be something it wasn't. I was there in 2007 when the St. Paul guys beat Quaff to keep them from winning 7 times straight, that's the loudest I've ever heard anyone cheer for the winner. By the next year when St. Paul won it wasn't nearly as loud.

If anything, it was the BN guys themselves who were subdued about it - like they were waiting for the crowd reaction rather than just celebrating their win. I cheered, my table cheered, the tables around us cheered - and we were right in front of the stage. I guess he didn't hear us.

So, why does his blog post only feature comments supporting his claims of 'silence and a few boos?'

Also, frankly I understand why some people are not happy about it. Clubs are local, yo. It's not easy to keep people from a single region together and interested, especially not when there's no incentive to stay in a club when you can just write 'Brewing Network' under the club name for your submissions.

Also I am generally not a fan of BN, mostly because I don't like what I see as some sort of forced juvenile behavior. But then again I really cannot stand Bubba or Howard Stern - I grew up a long time ago.

What a bratty blog post. If anything, the crowd was surprised since not everyone knows the rules for club of the year and the consensus up to that point was, "Hey, those guys from Austin are winning EVERYTHING".

I think that the BN has a good thing going for it...and ANYONE can have a club in this manner as long as it follows the same rules. It gives the folks with no club ,or a club that isn't what they had hoped, a chance to be part of a group that is working to advance home brewing.Sometimes when people are looking for a backlash, they can create it in their own mind, even in the face of praise. I hope that this is such a case. Congrats BN!

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Michael P MitchemBeer and Ale Research Foundation (B.A.R.F.)AHA Member since 2011

I don't see the why care here. It isn't like the Club of the Year has any value (like they get to choose where the next conference is held)...it is like the medal count at the Olympics....fun, but doesn't mean anything....especially since no geographical tie makes membership easier (and other rules allowing anyone to enter any region), until some other virtual club comes on-line, they will continue to win.

BN is funny after you listen for a while....I used to think it was childish, and then I realized I was a child....

The advent of online clubs back a few years ago led to a rule that limits the number of points an organization can accrue from all regions to the maximum they could from a single region. (e.g. the points for 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze). Then the second round works as it always does.

Drew, am I missing something here? Is (6+4+2)*28 really the limitation on first round points? 336 just from the first round doesn't seem like much of a limitation!

I don't mind BN winning. Without them only a few clubs are still in the running anyway. So a few childish drunk people weren't very respectful. Shocking. No worse than the whiny blog post. Maybe they should set up some regions within their organization and have some internal rivalry rather than complain about the strength of the accolades.